Introduction to German

Deutsch sprechen lernen — learning to speak German starts here. Introduction to German is built for adult beginners who want real, functional language skills: navigating a city, ordering at a café, striking up a conversation, and reading the signs and headlines around them. Over the course of these lessons, you'll move from zero to genuinely conversational, building the grammar foundation and vocabulary you need to feel confident in German-speaking environments and prepared for deeper study down the road. Whether you're planning a trip to Berlin, connecting with heritage, or adding a high-value language to your professional profile, this is the place to start.

The German Alphabet and Pronunciation Learn to pronounce and write the German alphabet, including its distinctive characters ä, ö, ü, and ß, so you can sound out new words and read them with confidence.

Greetings and Introductions Introduce yourself, strike up a conversation, and learn the customs around greetings, including when to use the formal Sie and the familiar du.

Numbers, Dates, and Times Count, use numbers for prices and schedules, and talk about the calendar and the weather.

Ordering and Shopping Order food and drinks at a café or restaurant and handle everyday purchases with confidence.

Getting Around Ask for and follow directions, and read the street signs, transit information, and headlines you'll see in German-speaking cities.

Everyday Conversation Talk about transportation, sports, and entertainment while building correct sentences with German word order and present-tense verbs.